Greetings and more
Oh hi there! 👋🏻 It’s been a while. I had attempted to make this newsletter an every other week thing and then my summer got away from me.
It has made me a little sad to put it aside because of other work, but I am back from my summer hiatus and ready to share some fun, thoughts, and encouragement in the midst of your week.
What you can expect is that I will show up most weeks with just a little drop of encouragement and joy, plus things that make me smile!
Today, I am currently sitting on my sunporch on a chilly morning feeling the first hints of autumn. And always the changing of seasons has me in my feelings.
Maybe it isn’t just the new season, but the fact that I have finished my first full year not working in a school and I am not quite sure how I feel about it.
The older I get the more comfortable I get with living in the tension of conflicting emotions. I have written about it before and I know there is a lot more to unpack. Maybe you can relate.
Like when I feel sad about missing those first days of school, but also thankful for a flexible job and the fun I am having.
Or feeling lost without a church home but also relieved to have space to unlearn bad spiritual patterns.
Or feeling overwhelmed at owning a new home, but so happy to have a space of our own.
No matter the tension you are feeling, you are not alone. I think that is part of life, getting comfortable in tension, when things don’t feel simple or quickly resolved. However, I think, at least for me, just recognizing that I feel tension, that I am feeling these two conflicting emotions, helps me navigate and not implode into a ball of tears and despair.
A Breath of Fresh Air
As many of us start anew in the fall, whether that be a new school year or even just a new season, I pray that you would feel these words. That you feel something new blow through the branches of your life, that you feel your limbs shake out the things that are weighing on you, and that you may walk lighter into the rest of this year.
It's the Little Things 😊
Flavored Syrups
I love black coffee, but I also have been enjoying creamer these days, but I hate spending so much money on creamer. So I bought a few flavored syrups and half and half and make my own flavors. You can get a sugar-free version too.
Edible Cookie Dough
If you need a sweet treat that you can stash in your freezer, check out this recipe for edible cookie dough with almond flour. I love the consistency because it sort of tastes like a peanut butter cup. I covered them in melted chocolate and put then in the freezer for a while.
💎 Gems from the Internet 💎
